Context:
The Telangana government has announced that the birth anniversary of Savitribai Phule, on January 3, will be observed as Women’s Teachers’ Day.
Savitribai Phule
- Birthplace: Maharashtra (Naigaon, Satara district).
- 1st headmistress of the country’s first girls’ school in Pune.
- Values: Egalitarianism, Justice, Courage of Conviction
Contributions and Achievements of Savitribai Phule:
- Women’s Liberation Movement: Actively participated in the women’s liberation movement.
- Educational Endeavors:
- Dedicated her life to educating Shudras and Ati-Shudras.In 1873, along with her husband Jyotiba Phule, initiated the practice of Satyashodhak marriage – a wedding without dowry or at minimal cost.
- Opposed child marriages and organized widow remarriages.
- Published her first collection of poems, Kavyaphule, in 1854, making her the first modern poetess of Marathi.
- Literary Contributions:
- Wrote two books, Kavya Phule in 1854 and Bavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar in 1892, which are collections of her poems.
- Authored the famous poem ‘Go Get Education’ to encourage education among the backward and oppressed classes.
- Pioneering Educational Reforms:
- Opened India’s first school for women in Pune in 1848 with her husband, Jyotirao Phule.
- Despite societal resistance, by 1851, she was running 18 schools for children of different castes, with a strength of 150 girls.
- Established two educational trusts: the Native Female School, Pune, and the Society for Promoting the Education of Mahars, Mangs, and others from downtrodden castes.
- Recognition and Advocacy:
- In 1852, the British government acknowledged the great work of the Phule family in education and honored Savitribai by naming her the best teacher.
- Actively worked against caste-based discrimination prevalent in society with her husband.
- Women’s Rights Initiatives:
- In 1852, initiated the Mahila Seva Mandal, a platform aimed at raising awareness about women’s rights, bringing together members of all castes.
- Was a vocal advocate for the rights of widows and organized a barbers’ strike in Mumbai and Pune to oppose the practice of shaving the heads of widows.
- Fought against dowry and other oppressive social customs.
- Humanitarian Efforts:
- In 1863, started the Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha, India’s first home prohibiting infanticide, assisting pregnant Brahmin widows and rape victims.
Source: TH
Previous Year Question
The Vital-Vidhvansak, the first monthly journal to have the untouchable people as its target audience was published by
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]
(a) Gopal Baba Walangkar
(b) JyotibaPhule
(c) Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
(d) Bhimrao Ranji Ambedkar
Answer: (a)